Summer Day Trips and Bloomer Skirts

Summer is finally here!

And Ahnalin has been keeping me

so busy that I have not had time 

to post!

As a treat, Don bought us season passes
this year, to Discover Kingdom in Vallejo.
It used to be called "Marine World, Africa USA"
and we went there on our honeymoon 23 years ago.


Ahnalin is not super keen on all the rides,
but she is CRAZY about all the animals!
She got to pet an elephant there!

They have an indoor butterfly habitat that
is just amazing!

I love the killer whale show.

Her favorite show there is the dolphin show.


In fact, she managed to find some fabric
in my stash with dolphins, killer whales,
and fish printed on it.
Of course, she insisted that she NEEDED
a bloomer skirt out of this fabric!

So, of course I sewed one right up. 
She still LOVES her bloomer skirts!

Bloomer Skirts are great for twirling!

Running through splash zones...

And of course, for hanging upside down,
which is what Monkey Girl does best!
I sewed this up using my pattern,

(which you can purchase, by clicking on the link)

but instead of adding the band at the bottom,

I trimmed the hem with ribbon and rick rack.

 I didn't have much of the fabric, so 

I did this treatment so she could 

have as much length as possible. 

She prefers her skirts at the knee or longer.

She loves this little spot.

This window overlooks the giant walrus tank

and he often swims up to her.

I don't think we made it on to one ride this trip!

I wonder if we will go on any rides

or if we will just hang out with the animals all Summer.

------------------------------------------------

Thank you all for your prayers for Don!

He is FINALLY well.

When he started to get his strength back,
I begged suggested that we drive

back to Bodega Bay for some fresh ocean air,

and seafood.

So on Saturday, we did!

We ate crab cakes and chowder

at Spud Point Crab Company

and then parked at Doran Beach

for a frolic on the beach.

Do you see the clear ball in this picture?

This is a jellyfish egg!

There were THOUSANDS of them all 

over the beach! 

The kept getting stuck in my toes 

as I walked barefoot on the sand.

When we looked at them closely, 

we could see the tiny baby jellyfish inside!

While Don rested, breathing in that

healing ocean air,

Ahnalin and I walked up and down the beach,

talking about miracles and God's creation.

We looked for shells and sand dollars.

And somehow, we found two!

It was a wonderful gift of a day.

Summer continues to be busy,

with a fabulous week of 

Vacation Bible School.

(photo by Tina Kammerer-Wells)

Yes, these two are both the same age!

(photo by Tina Kammerer-Wells)

Yes, this is me, leading music for the preschool 

aged children at VBS.

What a bizarre look on my face!

But VBS was great!

-------------------------------------------------

So, I am FINALLY getting 

caught up on sewing and blogging.

Yes, I am making more 

Monkey Girl Bloomer Skirts

because they are so fun and practical

and Ahnalin loves them.

You can purchase the pattern

at my Etsy store

or You Can Make This.com

or at Fairytale Frocks and Lollipops.

I am also working on some new patterns!

Hopefully between trips to 

the library, beach, Discovery Kingdom

and all the Ahnalin's sewing, 

I will have some time to finish!

Happy Summer and
Happy Sewing!